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Small Nations in a Big World: What Scotland Can Learn (Viewpoints #16)
by Michael KeatingSmall northern European states have been a major point of reference in the Scottish independence debate. For nationalists, they have been an 'arc of prosperity' while in the aftermath of the financial crash, unionists lampooned the 'arc of insolvency'. Both characterisations are equally misleading. Small states can do well in the global market place, but they face the world in very different ways. Some accept market logic and take the 'low road' of low wages, low taxes and light regulation, with a correspondingly low level of public services. Others take the 'high road' of social investment, which entails a larger public sector and higher taxes. Such a strategy requires innovative government, flexibility and social partnership. Keating and Harvey compare the experience of the Nordic and Baltic states and Ireland, which have taken very different roads and ask what lessons can be learnt for Scotland. They conclude that success is possible but that hard choices would need to be taken. Neither side in the independence debate has faced these choices squarely.
Scotland's Referendum: A Guide for Voters
by David TorranceOn 18 September 2014, everyone in Scotland aged 16 or over will be asked the question: 'Should Scotland Be An Independent Country? 'As the referendum approaches, the debates over whether or not Scotland should be an independent country are becoming more heated. This guide, produced by respected Scottish journalists and authors, Jamie Maxwell and David Torrance, covers everything you need to know in advance of deciding which way to vote. Maxwell and Torrance summarise the main arguments for and against before delving into the central issues at the heart of the debate, including economics, welfare and pensions, defence and foreign affairs, and culture and national identity. They outline the way that Scotland is currently governed and review where the parties stand on the debate before concluding with speculative chapters on what happens after the vote, whether YES or NO. The referendum on 18 September 2014 is the most significant democratic event in Scotland's history. Get engaged. Be informed. Whatever you do, don't NOT vote!
On Being A Man: Four Scottish Men in Conversation (Open Scotland #2)
by Sandy CampbellWhat does 'masculinity' mean today? On Being a Man brings together four men to consider the condition of Scottish men, reflect on their own backgrounds and experiences, and confront some of the most difficult issues men face. These include the changing roles of men in Scottish society, the role of work and employment. What it means to be a man is very different from forty years ago: in terms of expectations, relationships, how men relate to partners, bring up children and what constitutes a modern family. However, there is a dark side of Scottish masculinity - seen in the drinking, violent, abusive behaviour of some Scots men, and this book addresses this directly, getting into issues many of us often shy away from confronting. Draws on the wide-ranging voices of: journalist, writer and broadcaster, David Torrance; founder of a youth employment and mentoring charity, Sandy Campbell; public health researcher, Pete Seaman; and former policeman and head of the violence reduction unit, John Carnochan.
The Glass Half Full: Moving Beyond Scottish Miserablism (Open Scotland #3)
by Eleanor leA self-help book for the Scottish psyche. Cultural Miserablism: the power of the negative story with no redemption and no escape, that wallows in its own bleakness. Scotland is a small and immensely creative country. The role of the arts and culture is one that many are rightly proud of. But do we portray Scotland in the light we should? There is a tendency in film, literature and other cultural output to portray the negative aspects of Scottish life. In The Glass Half Full, filmmaker Eleanor le and academic David Manderson explore the origins of this bleak take on Scottish life, its literary and cultural expressions, and how this phenomenon in film has risen to the level of a genre which audiences both domestic and international see as a recognisable story of contemporary Scotland. What does miserablism tell us about ourselves? When did we become cultural victims? Is it time we move away from an image of Scotland that constantly casts itself as the poor relation? From the Trainspotting to the Kailyard, The Glass Half Full confronts the negative Scotland we portray not only to the world but, most importantly, ourselves. Do [they] accurately reflect the reality of life in Scotland for the majority of the population or are they just 'stories' we like to tell ourselves about ourselves? ELEANOR LE Our greatest export is the diversity of our fiction, the myriad of alternatives between its contrasts and all its new heroes and heroines. It's time we knew it. DAVID MANDERSON
The people we could be: Or how to be £500 better off, build a fairer society and a better planet (Viewpoints #17)
by Alexander BellWe live in a time of crises in a state with no moral purpose. This generation could become great by tackling Scotland's domestic problems, and the wider issues facing the world. That is only possible if we take charge, set the goal of equality and give ourselves twenty years to transform our society. We can lead ourselves to a better world. ALEX BELL Former Head of Policy to First Minister Alex Salmond, Alex Bell puts Scotland's future in a global context and sets out a way for Scotland and the UK to reform. This is a manifesto for the future free of party lines or the usual orthodoxies - if you read only one book on the referendum, make it this one. The sort of original thinking that has been so sorely missing in the debate. BEN THOMSON, Reform Scotland Badly needed as a guide for the general reader to the issues facing the Scottish people. KENNETH ROY, Scottish Review A rare work - a stimulating read that you would hope party manifestos would aspire to but rarely do. JOHN McLAREN, Centre for Public Policy for Regions A manifesto for the future. ANDY WIGHTMAN, author of The Poor Had No Lawyers… an eloquent and alarmingly persuasive book. THE SCOTSMAN, on Peak Water
Women Saying No: Making a Positive Case Against Independence (Viewpoints #18)
by Maria FyfeIf a majority of us decide to vote YES on 18 September 2014, then that divorce from the rest of the UK is easy to do. No expensive lawyers. No cost except the travel to the polling station' No need to lift a finger. Just a cross on a ballot paper. But before you say, that's great, think on' This is a decision we will live with for the rest of our lives, and our children's and grandchildren's, for maybe centuries to come.MARIA FYFE It's been noted over and over again that women are more likely to vote NO in Scotland's Referendum 2014. There has been endless speculation as to why this may be, but until now little expression of their views has been heard.In a series of essays arguing for a NO vote at the forthcoming Scottish independence referendum, 14 women varying in age, ethnicity, political views and life experience - including Maria Fyfe, Johann Lamont MSP, Sarah Boyack MSP and Fiona O'Donnell MP - come together to make a positive case against independence.With contributions from leading current and former politicians and citizens, Women Saying No presents the arguments against independence, from a female perspective, in an attempt to widen the debate.Praise for Maria Fyfe The book she has written is a gem. It zips along on a skilful mix of genuinely funny anecdotes, telling vignettes and perceptive political analysis. It serves future historians well too, for it will serve as a necessary counterbalance to the leadership-centric books and diaries which have followed the Tony Blair - Peter Mandelson years. But it has a more immediate attraction than that. The Nats gets a good pre-referendum kicking from Oor Maria. Recalling that the Nats used to call the Scots Labour MPs 'the feeble fifty' she points out the SNP were nowhere to be seen the night a last ditch Tory filibuster failed to halt the Minimum Wage Bill.ALASDAIR BUCHAN, TRIBUNE on A Problem Like MariaA feisty, irrepressible, red flag idealist' the only woman Scottish MP in a gang of fifty. She could not be bullied, bamboozled or bribed. She did not fit comfortably in to the Procrustean bed of a biddable Blair babe.PAUL FLYNN, THE HOUSE MAGAZINE on A Problem Like Maria
Rethinking Our Politics: The political and constitutional future of Scotland and the UK (Viewpoints #19)
by Henry McLeishAs the Scotland electorate wakes up in the day after the referendum, everything has changed and nothing has changed. Scottish and UK politics is broken, it desperately needs fixed. The future of Scotland will be centre stage, but so will our democracy and the future of a Union in decline. Our politics once again needs to inspire, enthuse, educate and be relevant to the needs and aspirations of the public and reconnect with the values that underpin our society. There are urgent issues that we need to deal with now - the most important of which being rampant inequality. We have to move away from the mindless tribalism and partisanship that too often dominates much of what passes as political debate. Over the past year it has become clear that regardless of their stance on the referendum debate, the Scottish people are united on one front, the yearning for change for the betterment of their nation, their institutions and their politics. For McLeish, the referendum debate is merely the beginning. It is a symptom of the need for a more fundamental shift in the way we engage with politics in the UK and Scotland today. Former First Minister of Scotland, Henry McLeish is well placed to diagnose the crisis at the heart of Scotland and UK politics. In Rethinking Our Politics McLeish looks critically at the conditions which have created an increasingly divided and alienated public and forged Scotland's yearning for radical change. He rails against the stagnation of the union and makes a rousing and persuasive case for a complete overhaul of our political thinking, demanding that instead of making decisions on the basis of fear and insecurity, we rediscover the founding moral purpose of government. This is a must read for those who care about the future of our nation.
The Missing Scotland: Why over a million Scots choose not to vote and what it means for our democracy (Open Scotland #5)
by Willie SullivanThe only reason to vote is if the vote represents power or change. I don t think it does. I fervently believe that we deserve more from our democratic system than the few derisory tit-bits tossed from the carousel of the mighty. RUSSELL BRAND From national and local elections to the debate on the independence referendum, a large part of Scotland is missing from our political and public debates. This book directly gives voice to the missing people of Scotland as Willie Sullivan (in association with the Electoral Reform Society) investigates why this part of Scotland is lost, asking the missing electorate to articulate why they find themselves so politically disengaged, what their take of mainstream Scotland is and what they feel is lacking, and finally exploring what they feel must be done in order change this for the better. A large part of Scotland is missing from our political and public debates, what kind of changes are needed for them to engage? GERRY HASSAN, Open Scotland Series Editor A lot of people in Scotland have no daily contact with democracy; they have no contact in their immediate personal environment with democracy. That is not just a jigsaw piece that is missing in Scottish democracy; it is a founding stone of democracy that is missing in Scotland. DEMOCRACY MAX Report
Why Not?: Scotland, Labour and Independence (Viewpoints #20)
by Jamie MaxwellIs Scottish independence incompatible with 'Labour values'?Are 'Labour values' being realised within the Union?How much really divides Yes campaigners from Labour voters?Why Not? Scotland, Labour and Independence is a passionate and often personal appeal to Labour voters (and other progressive Scots) to consider the social, economic and political gains that could be won with Scottish self-government. Bringing together a range of diverse voices - some from within the Labour Party, some from within the SNP, some from the non-aligned Left - it presents the social justice case for a Yes vote and argues that independence offers the clearest route forward for socialist and centre-left Scotland.Urgent, original and provocative, Why Not? is a vital contribution to the independence debate - and essential reading for all Scots.
Generation Scot Y (Open Scotland #6)
by Kate HigginsWhat is Generation Scot Y? Born in the 1980s and 1990s and comprising primarily of the children of the baby boomers, Generation Y is often perceived as being the generation that wants it all. Think you know what makes Scotland's 20-somethings tick? Knowing who Generation Y in Scotland - Generation Scott Y - is, matters for our economy, our society and our political culture. Generation has grown up with devolution: are they ready to embrace full nationhood? How has Scotland's independence referendum affected them and what does it mean for their future? In this book, political blogger at Burdz Eye View, Kate Higgins explores all this and more - Generation Scott Y's identity, influences, values, voting behaviours and aspirations. Far from being frivolous, this is a serious generation for serious times. This book only skims the surface but dip in and you'll discover something you never knew - I did and I'm the mother of one. And ultimately, you'll find that far from wanting to have it all, they just want a little of all that we've had. KATE HIGGINS
100 Days of Hope and Fear: How Scotland's Referendum was Lost and Won
by David TorranceWas it simply a victory for fear over hope?How did the Better Together campaign come so close to losing it?How did the Yes campaign come so close to winning it?What can the people of Scotland - and other aspirant nations - learn from this seismic democratic event? Scotland’s independence referendum on 18 September 2014 was the most significant ballot in Scotland’s history. The 100 days up to 18 September was the official campaign period and the world’s media was watching. David Torrance was there throughout, in front of the cameras, on the radio, in the newspapers, at the debates and gatherings, privy to some of the behind-the-scenes manoeuvrings.A passionate federalist at heart, described disparagingly by the outgoing First Minister as ‘Tory-leaning’, Torrance made a valiant attempt to remain ‘professionally neutral’ throughout. His commentary and analysis as the campaign went through its many twists and turns was always insightful, if not always popular.'Reading this diary back during the editing process it was clear that, like (Nate) Silver (the US polling guru whose view was that the Yes campaign had virtually no chance of victory), I got a lot of things wrong (including the likely margin of victory) but also many things broadly correct. At least I can plead, as journalists often do, that I was probably right at the time.'His diary is deliciously gossipy, entertainingly indiscreet, and a must-read for political geeks as well as those who want to see what goes on behind the scenes of Scotland's politics and media.STEPHEN DAISLEY, STVDavid Torrance has emerged as one of the campaign's most important commentators... [his] unauthorised biography of Alex Salmond, Against the Odds, has become the prescribed text for the flying columns of English-based and overseas journalists converging on Scotland in this our hour of destiny.KEVIN McKENNA, Scottish Review of BooksTorrance has secured himself a prominent position in the referendum debate, partly through the strategic use of nice jumpers and expertly crafted hair, but largely on merit ... [he deserves] far better than the lazy impossibilist critiques to which [his federalist] proposals have been subjected.RORY SCOTHORNE on Britain RebootedF*** sake... David Torrance on again. Is the greasy weasel never aff the telly?CALUM FINDLAY [on Twitter]
Wee White Blossom: What Post-Referendum Scotland Needs to Flourish (Viewpoints #21)
by Lesley RiddochSo stands Scotland where it did? Not on your nelly.The professional classes in Scotland may be busy with Commissions, vows, deals, submissions and General Election planning but the wider Yes Movement is busy with huge spontaneous meetings involving hundreds, even thousands of people - gatherings like birds flocking before winter or starlings swooping to throw shapes into darkening skies. Because they can.Wee White Blossom is a post-indyref, poppadom-sized version of Blossom for folk who've already sampled the full bhuna. It updates Blossom with a new chapter on Scotland's Year of Living Dangerously. Lesley Riddoch shares her thoughts on the Smith Commission, the departure of Gordon Brown, the return of Alex Salmond and the latest developments in land reform and local control. She considers the future of the SNP, the Radical Independence Campaign, Common Weal, Women for Independence and Scottish Labour in the aftermath of the referendum. This is a plain-speaking, incisive call to restore equality and control to local communities and let Scotland flourish.Wee White Blossom is the ideal companion volume to Blossom, whether you want an update on the first edition or an appetiser before delving into the pages of the original.The most influential, passionate and constructive book to appear during the referendum campaign. Blossom seized readers because it argued for independence as means to an end - restoring control over their own lives to Scottish communities so disempowered by top-down authority that they had no real experience of democracy.NEAL ASCHERSONA brilliant, moving, well written, informative, important and valuable piece of work.ELAINE C SMITHNot so much an intervention in the independence debate as a heartfelt manifesto for a better democracy.ESTHER BREITENBACH, Scotsman
Blossom: What Scotland Needs to Flourish. 2nd edition. (Viewpoints Ser. #10)
by Lesley RiddochBlossom is an account of Scotland at the grassroots through the stories of people I’ve had the good fortune to know – the most stubborn, talented and resilient people on the planet. They’ve had to be. Some have transformed their parts of Scotland. Some have tried and failed. But all have something in common – they know what it takes for Scotland to blossom. We should too… Weeding out vital components of Scottish identity from decades of political and social tangle is no mean task, but it’s one journalist Lesley Riddoch has undertaken. Dispensing with the tired, yo-yoing jousts over fiscal commissions, Devo Something and EU in-or-out, Blossom pinpoints both the buds of growth and the blight that’s holding Scotland back. Drawing from its people and history as well as the experience of the Nordic countries, and the author’s own passionate and outspoken perspective, this is a plain-speaking but incisive call to restore equality and control to local communities and let Scotland flourish.
From #Indyref to Eternity: The battle for a nation, and how proud Scotia came within a whisker of breaking free.
by Douglas LindsayThe repercussions of Scotland's indyref will echo down the years, for evermore, for proud Scotia's sons and daughters, from here to eternity.DR IAN SHACKLETON, 19 SEPTEMBER 2014From David Cameron striding across the border, wearing nothing but a kilt and brandishing a claymore soaked in the blood of his enemies, to Alex Salmond's naked mud wrestling bout with Alistair Darling, the campaign to win Scotland's independence from the Evil Empire in Westminster had everything.Now, with in-depth analysis from renowned political expert, Dr Ian Shackleton, and relying on actual quotes from friends of sources close to aides to senior Holyrood insiders, From #Indyref To Eternity tells the true story of the momentous political event, that historians will call 'that vote about the thing that happened in Scotland in 2014.'
Five Million Conversations: How Labour lost and election and rediscovered its roots
by Iain WatsonOn the eve of the general election, Ed Miliband declared that Labour had won the ‘ground war’. He proclaimed that his activists had been in touch with many more voters than his opponents: ‘We have had five million conversations. This will go to the wire.’ Yet the Conservatives went on to win a majority for the first time in more than two decades - while Labour lost seats in England, and were all but wiped out in Scotland. How could they get it so wrong? Iain Watson followed the Labour campaign around Britain, and now he examines what its senior politicians are now calling the party’s ‘political and organisational failures.’ He exposes the high-level divisions over when to rule out a deal with the SNP, the gulf between perception and reality over Labour’s level of support, and looks at the more successful campaigns of the Conservatives and Scottish Nationalists. He sets out the challenges for the next Labour leader, having had his own conversations with voters, activists and senior party figures, and discovers there is no easy solution to the party’s problems.
Naw First Minister!: Irascible Big Nellie Nellis Becomes Scotland's First Minister... pity help Scotland!
by Allan MorrisonWith no party having a majority it was decided the position of First Minister should go to neutral, AGSTLO (Ah m Gonnae Sort This Lot Oot party) MSP, Big Nellie Nellis, a controversial imposing lady with the relics of beauty still on her face, unapologetically long legs which look as though they could stretch into different time zones, and bosoms requiring their own postal codes. Her over-bearing appearance and vibrancy, assisted by a continually refilled hip flask of single malt, make her formidable to all and sundry. Forget Mrs Thatcher, Mrs Merkel, Mrs Gillard, Mrs Meir and Ms Sturgeon. These women were absolute softies compared to Big Nellie. When Big Nellie Nellis bounds into Scottish politics after a fish supper and a cockup too far, her brash reason wins an electorate weary of the pointless jabbering of a divided Parliament. However, shaking up the status quo of Holyrood sets some slippery MSPs delving into Nellie s past to uncover the truth about Scotland s least likely political leader.
EU Referendum 2016: A Guide for Voters
by David TorranceShould the United Kingdom remain a part of the European Union or leave the European Union? This is the question we will have to answer on 23 June, when we head to the ballot boxes to cast our votes in the in/out referendum on EU membership. It’s a complicated issue. What, exactly, would the much discussed ‘Brexit’ mean for the UK? With varied opinions on the EU from all over the political spectrum, do you know enough to make an informed decision? This non-partisan guide features chapters on the history of Britain in Europe, the ‘Remain’ and ‘Leave’ campaigns, and the likely timelines following both a ‘In’ and an ‘Out’ vote. With maps illustrating the EU and EEA membership and clear exposition of issues key to the debate by journalist and broadcaster David Torrance, author of guides to the 2015 General Election and the Scottish Independence Referendum, this is the only guide to 2016’s referendum you will need.
A Utopia Like Any Other: Inside the Swedish Model (A Utopia Like Any Other)
by Dominic HindeDoes a utopia really exist within northern Europe? Do we have anything to learn from it if it does? And what makes a nation worthy of admiration, anyway? Since the ’30s, when the world was wowed by the Stockholm Exhibition, to most people Sweden has meant clean lines, good public housing, and a Social Democratic government. More recently the Swedes have been lauded for their environmental credentials, their aspirational free schools, and their hardy economy. But what’s the truth of the Swedish model? Is modern Sweden really that much better than rest of Europe? In this insightful exploration of where Sweden has been, where it’s going, and what the rest of us can learn from its journey, journalist Dominic Hinde explores the truth behind the myth of a Swedish Utopia. In his quest for answers he travels the length of the country and further, enjoying July sunshine on the island of Gotland with the cream of Swedish politics for ‘Almedalan Week’, venturing into the Arctic Circle to visit a town about to be swallowed up by the very mine it exists to serve, and even taking a trip to Shanghai to take in the suburban Chinese interpretation of Scandinavia, ‘Sweden Town’, a Nordic city in miniature in the smog of China’s largest city.
Roch Winds: A Treacherous Guide to the State of Scotland
by Cailean GallagherDid Scotland’s rough wind become something more after the referendum, as so many hoped it would, or did it blow itself out? What power can pessimism have in a nation of newfound self-confidence? A generation ago, the socialist poet Hamish Henderson forecast that ‘mair nor a roch wind’ - more than a rough wind - would rush through the great glen of the world as empires and nations collapsed. In Roch Winds, three young radicals pick through the rubble left in the wake of the storm that propelled the Scottish National Party into a position of unprecedented political dominance in Scotland. This darkly humorous book dissects the rise of the SNP and the fall of Labour during the months leading up to 2014 Independence Referendum and beyond. Drawing on their involvement in the Yes campaign for independence and the Labour Party, the authors cast their eyes to Scotland’s future and to radical horizons. Fluent, funny and full of fighting talk, this book is for everyone who has ever wondered what lies behind the tartan curtain of Scotland’s new establishment.
McSmörgåsbord: What post-Brexit Scotland can learn from the Nordics
by Lesley RiddochThe Nordic countries have a veritable smörgåsbord of relationships with the European Union, from in to out to somewhere in between. So, what does that mean for Scotland? Well, somewhere in this incredible diversity of relationships with Europe is an arrangement that’s likely to be good for Scotland too – strangely enough, maybe more than one. Inside or outside the UK, Scotland wants to keep trade and cultural links with Europe – that much is clear. But is the EU really the best club in town for an independent Scotland? Or would Scots benefit from ‘doing a Norway’ – joining the halfway house of the EEA and keeping the Single Market but losing the troublesome Common Fisheries and Agriculture Policies? Would an independent Scotland need the support and shelter of another union – or could the nation stand alone like the tiny Faroes or Iceland? These tough questions have already been faced and resolved by five Nordic nations and their autonomous territories within the last 40 years. Perhaps there’s something for Scotland to learn? The unique combination of personal experience and experts’ insights give this book its hands-on character: pragmatic and thought-provoking, challenging and instructive, full of amazing stories and useful comparisons, enriching the debates about Scotland’s post-Brexit future as a Nordic neighbour. Scotland’s response to Britain’s divided Brexit vote has been positively Nordic – Scots expect diversity and empowerment to be entirely possible – whilst Westminster’s reaction has been decidedly British. One singer – one song. One deal for everyone – end of. Lesley Riddoch Of course, the majority of Nordic nations are eu members. But perhaps the eea is a closer fit for Scotland? Perhaps, too, a viable halfway house option would boost support for Scottish independence? Especially since Holyrood may not automatically retrieve powers from Europe post Brexit. Paddy Bort
Scotland, the UK and Brexit: A Guide to the Future
by Gerry Hassan Russell GunsonThe unexpected outcome of the 2017 UK general election means that the UK Government lacks a clear mandate on Brexit and also that the Scottish Government lacks a clear mandate on holding a second Independence Referendum consequent to the material change in circumstance which will be brought about by Brexit. We are in for a bumpy, unpredictable ride, one with profound consequences for the people of Scotland and the UK.In this collection of essays from a wide range of leading political specialists, journalists and academics, Hassan and Gunson have assembled a comprehensive guide to Brexit for the UK as a whole, and its constituent parts.From fisheries and agriculture to higher education and law, the whys and how of Brexit are challenged from all angles. Particular attention is paid to how Brexit will impact Scotland and the viability of a future independent Scotland.
A Nation Changed?: The SNP and Scotland Ten Years On
by Gerry Hassan Simon BarrowA Nation Changed? Provides the first detailed and wide-ranging analysis of the SNP in office. It looks at how Scotland has changed and not changed during that time, and the challenges that lie ahead. The book examines the SNP's record, its role as a government and as a party, detailed policy issues such as education and health, the Brexit conundrum and independence.Offering insights and suggestions for further action and reform, A Nation Changed? brings together an unparalleled range of knowledgeable and expert voices all of whom care deeply about Scotland, public policy, the state of democracy, and the future of our nation. Irrespective of your political views or allegiance, this groundbreaking study offers fresh thinking, food for thought and ideas for debate concerning the changing terrain of Scottish politics.
Women Workers & The Trade Unions
by Sarah BostonIn this highly-praised history of women’s battles in the workplace, Sarah Boston explores how women workers have often had to challenge their male co-workers and union organisers, as well as managers. Sarah Boston recounts the story of women workers from the early nineteenth century to the present day: the struggles and strikes, successes and failures in their strenuous efforts to organise and win recognition from employers and male trade unionists. Women Workers and the Trade Unions – now republished with the addition of two new chapters covering the period from 1987 to 2010 – is the only comprehensive account of this neglected overlap of women’s history and labour history. Sarah Boston argues that male trade unionists’ exclusionary treatment of women workers contradicted not only the socialist aims of most trade unions but also the very logic of trade unionism itself. The account is essential reading for anyone concerned with the history of industrial relations, but also with the history of feminism and of women in the workplace. Includes a new preface by TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady.
Communism and Democracy: History, debates and potentials (PDF)
by Mike Makin-WaiteOn the centenary of the Russian Revolution of 1917, Mike Makin-Waite surveys the history of the communist movement, tracking its origins in the Enlightenment, and through nineteenth-century socialism to the emergence of Marxism and beyond. As we emerge from the long winter of neoliberalism, and the search is on for ideas that can help shape a contemporary popular socialism, some of the questions that have preoccupied socialist thinkers throughout left history are once more being debated. Should the left press for reform and work through the state or should it focus on protest and a critique of the whole system? Is it possible to expand the liberal idea of democracy to include economic democracy? Which alliances require too great a compromise and which can help secure future change?
Podemos: In the Name of the People (PDF)
by Inigo Errejon Owen Jones Chantal MouffeÍñigo Errejón, Political Secretary of Podemos, discusses with political theorist Chantal Mouffe the political strategy that underpinned the development of Podemos in Spain, and explores the possibilities for a new left politics that might emerge out of these developments.